Driving-axle structure for motor-vehicles.



APPLICATION FILED JULY 21, 1910.

Patented July 18, 1911.

avwcm-toz Emil C-Hardsgen QwHMQ/Awo NITED err urns rn rnnr ensues.

I Ell/[IL (I. HARZDEGEN F INDIANAPOLIS. INDIANA. ASSIGNOR TO THEHARDEGEN AXLE COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS. INDIANA, A CORPORATION OFINDIANA,

DRIVING-AXLE STBUC'IUBE FOB MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jul 18, 1911.

Application filed July 21. 1910. Serial No. 573,137.

To all whofn it may concern: I

. Be it known that Llluin C. l-hnn'nmix, a citizen of the United States.residing at Indianapolis, in the-county of Marion and .State ofIndianznlmve invented a new and.

useful Driving-Axle Structure for Motor- Velncl'es, of which thefollowing is a speedicat1on.

The object of my invention is to produce a rear axle structure forautomobiles such that 3 the difi'erent-iel gearing may be readily re.-moved from thestructurewithoutthe necessity of removal of any of thebearings thereforand also such that the'retaining nuts for the tractionwheels may be manipulated by an ordinary wrench. 4

The first partofmy invention is applicable, to rear axle structures ofeither the invention; Figure -1 is an axial section and floating shaftor' live shaft type, while the second .portion of my invention is onlyadapted to use \vhere'the traction wheel is journaled u on a supportfromwhich the driving shzr t is separable. v

- A further objectof my invention is to provide an improved formof'brake intimately associated with the'rear'axle structure.

- The accompanying drawingsillnstrate my Fig. 2 a transverse section online 2 -2 of Fig. 1,'the spring seat being onntted.

In the drawings, 10. indicates a main or 1 central inclosing casingstructure which comprises in part a transversely removable cap 11 eld inplace by bolts or other suitable retailiing' membersj12,'thc said capbeing so formed as, to permit-free access to the interior of the casing.10 'iyl en' removed-and the withdrawaltherefrdni of any structuremounted therein. Secured to or formed integral with casing 10 areopposite tubular extensions '13, 13 and casing 10 is provided with aface let substdntia-lly parallel with the extensions 13 'and oppositecap 11, upon which may be bolted or otherwise secured a tubularextension 15 ithin whichtlie power shaft is mounted and preferablyjonrna-l'ed. The inner end'of each tubular extension 13 is provided withcomparatively fine threads 17 within which is thread-ed the shank 18 ofa bearing cup19. The cup 19 .forms'a bear- 'ing memberforthefdifierentiel'gearing21, end therefore is formed tosuitablycooper- 'ate therewith, so as to support the same.-

\ {In the present drawings, l have shown the cup: 19 provided with aplurality of ball bearings 22 which receive a bearing cone 2&5 carriedby the dil'l'erentml casing. it will be readily understood, of course,thatthe exact chanu-ler of bearing between cup '19 and the-dill'erenlialgearing 21 is not material so far as the present invention is con-'cerned. The differential gearing 21 carries the usual main gear 24.which meshes with a drivin; pinion 25 carried by the power shntt 16.Each cup 15) is preferably provided upon its circumference with apluralitv of teeth 2& which may he engaged by a.

detour tooth or projection '1? carried by cap ll, the arrangement beingsuch that, when the cap ll is in place, there can be no rotation of thecup 19. As a further precaution,

the casing 10 may be split at 31 and a clamp:

ing' bolt provided to pass into a threaded opening 32 formed at one sideof thesplit 31 so that by tightening such bolt, the casing can beclamped-upon the shank 18. central gears 33 of the differential gear-in21 are formed in a well ltnou-ninanner to receive. by an axiallyseparable non-rotative connection, the inner ends of the shaft sec,tions 34. i

In the present form, each of the tubular extensions 13 'isprovided"'wit-l1- a wheelcarrying end 13" provided with hearing cones 41and 42 which receive ball'bearings -l3 and 44 respectively, which lie incorresponding cups carried in the hub of-the traction wheel 46. Thecones 42, bearings and wheel 48 arc-held in place upon the\\-lieel-(.-:1rry.ing extension 13' by means of a retaining nut i7 andcheek nut 48 mounted upon a suitable threaded portion at thetip of theextension 13-. v

.with if 'plnrolity of asiirllyeirtending clutchpins 5i, each of whichis adapted to enter a correspoinlingly formed socket 52 formed in face45' of hub 45. The outer end of hub The 45 is threaded on itscircumference, in "the usual manner, as indicated at 53, to receive aretaining cup 54.

Hub 45 carries a brake cup or casing 61 having a horizontal flange ofsufiicient dept-h to receive internally two parallel brake rings '62 and63 WhichQare identical. Each of these brake rings is loosely mounted atits middle upon an -axially extending pin 64 which projects into"-thecup 61. Pin 64 is carried by a bracket 65 secured to the tubularextension 13 of the rear axle structure. Journaled at 66 in bracket 65,and in a bracket 67 carried by thev tubular extension 13, is a tube .68which is projected into the bracket cup 61 and provided on its inner endwith. a radially extending finger 69.- The opposite end of tube 68 isprovided with a lever 71 by means of which itmay be operated. J'ournaledwithin tube 68 is' a shaft 72, the inner end of which is projected intothe inte rior of cup 61 beyond the inner end of tube 66 and providedwith a radially extending finger 7 3. The outer end of shaft 72 carriesan arm or lever 74-by means of which it may be rocked. Each ring 62 and63 is a split ring of ordinary form having a friction surface 75 adaptedto frictionally engage the interior of cup 61. These rings are identicalin construction as to their operating parts and therefore a descriptionof one will be suiiicient for both. Pivoted toone end of the frictionring, is a short link 76 and pivoted to the other end is a longer link77 which is pivotally connected at an intermediate point 78 with thefree end of link 76. The extended end of link 77 is projected intoposition to be engaged by one or the other of the arms 69 or 73, thearrangement being such that link 7 6 and the short arm of link 77 serveas an operating toggle for the brake and the extended end of link 77serves as an operating lever for the toggle.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rear axle structure, the combination of the main hollow bodyhaving oppositely extending tubular extensions and a removable cap, of adifferential gearing mounted in said main body and having bearings atits ends, a pair of bearing cups mounted in said main body, saideupsrelatively axially adjustable to engage 'or entirely free thedifferential gearing to permit transverse withdrawal of the differentialgearing upon removal of the cap. and shaftsections mounted within'thetubular extensions o'f-the main body and having an axial withdrawable"non-rotative connection with the difierential gearing.

2. In a rear axle structure, the combination with the main hollow bodycomprising a central portion, a pair of oppositely extendingtubularextensious carried by sald' fnain portion, and a removable capgiving access to the interior of the middle portion,

of a differential gearing mounted within' said middle portion, a pair ofbearing cups mounted within the middle portion and alined with thetubular extensions, at least one of said bearing cups having a threadedengagement with the main body whereby it may be axially adjusted towardand from the other cup and the space between the other cup varied froman amount exceeding the length of the differential gearing to an amountless than the length of the differential gearing whereby thedill'erential gearing may be retained or released for transversewithdrawal, a detent carried by the removable cap for engaging saidaxially adjustable cup to prevent rotation thereof, and a pair of shaftsections mounted within the tubular extensions of the main body andhaving axially separable nou-rotative connection with the differentialgearing.

3. In a rear axle structure, the co1ubination with the main hollow bodycomprising a central portion, a pair of oppositely extending tubularextensions carried by said main portion, and a removable cap givingaccess to the interior of the middle portio of a diii'erential gearingmounted within said middle portion, a pair of bearing cups mountedwithin the middle portion and "alined with the tubular extensions, atleast one of said bearing cups having a threaded engagementwith the mainbody whereby itmaybe axially adjusted toward and from the? other; cupand'the space between the othercupvvarled from an amount exceeding thelngtltio f the' differential earing to an mountilless'than the length ofthe differenial gearing whereby the differential gearing maybe'ifetained or released for transverse withdrawal, and a pair of shaftsections mounted within the tubular extensions of the maimhody andhaving axially separablenon-rotative ccEinnect-ion with the dilierentialgearing.

In witness whereof. I; h=we hereunto set my hand and seal atIndianapolis, Indiana, this 15th day of July, A. D. one thousand ninehundred and ten.

'EMIL c. HARDEGEN. 1; 8.

Witnesses: A. V V

ARTHUR M. H001), FRANK A. FAHLE.

